


Avarra Defied

by imuli



Category: Darkover Series - Marion Zimmer Bradley
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-03
Updated: 2015-06-03
Packaged: 2018-04-02 15:07:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4064476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imuli/pseuds/imuli
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspired by Dorilys's long rest, Renata places Donal's lightning-scarred body in a similar statis field.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Avarra Defied

## Prelude

Dorilys had asked to be isolated from the world in a statis field, like the dangerous matrices and artifacts beneath Hali, until it was safe for her to wake. They had plenty of time, she would not wake for hours. Donal did not have that time, he was already dead, and brain damage would come soon if it had not already begun. Renata hesitated, how would they take this?

“Let us do Donal first.”

The three of them stared at her, and Lord Aldaran growled.

“And deny both my children a proper burial? Are you mad woman?”

“No! I mean to give Donal another chance, he had not yet left the Overworld! There isn't much time left, and if he is gone we can remove the statis. I can not give up now though, not when we've been shown the tools that might save him! Just imagine for a second, if we can heal the body, and the brain isn't damanaged, she struck his hand and he had some measure of her power…”

Lord Aldaran was clearly convinced, and turned an insistant glare upon the other three. Cassandra started to protest, but Allart touched her arm, and she merely shrugged and they set to work. The statis field was modified slightly, just to allow Renata access to monitor and heal instead of the usual more complicated paramaters, and five minutes later it was done. He was naked but for his matrix in it's pouch around his neck. His burns were unhealed, running up his right arm across his chest and down his left leg. Margali had fetched the spare matrices, and one was between his ankles, encasing him in a oblong bubble of bluish force.

They moved on to Dorilys without speaking, Allart acting as keeper as head had before. Her field was opaque, black with a fork of lightning reaching ever so slowly across it. The took a collective breath as they dropped from rapport.

“We shall bear her to Hali,” Allart said, “and there lay her within the chapel, forever.”

Lord Aldaran took Renata's hand. “I have no heir; I am alone and old. It is my will that Donal's son shall reign here when I am gone. It will not be long, kinswoman,” he added, looking into her eyes, “will you wed me by the catenas? If ever you revive Donal he will not be able to, Dorilys lives still, and I will be able to acknowledge your child my son and heir, and none alive can gainsay me.”

Renata bowed her head. “For the sake of Donal's son. Let it be as you will, kisman.”

Aldaran embraced her, and tenderly kissed her upon the forehead. “If he can be healed, I give you leave to marry him as a freemate, and Donal shall be his son's warden. I hope you can kinswoman, for there are precious few left for me to trust, and I am not sure I can rule another sixteen years.”

Allart and Cassandra rode forth the next morning at daybreak, bearing Dorilys's body in her statis field within a casket to Hali. Dom Mikhail and Renata watched the party ride away from the highest balcony of Aldaran. They leaned on the parapet in silence, the Lord's eyes resting heavily upon the casket, Renata's upon Allart, wondering what he future saw that prompted him to intercede on her behalf, when Cassanda was about to speak. Was it just that this would keep her from grief long enough and bear her child? Would she succeed? Donal was badly burned, yet his brain was undamaged and his heart was merely stopped, not shocked beyond function. What else might happen? Her mind wandered, musing on the Elhalyn gift of possible futures, how convenient it would be for guiding her work, and how devistating it might be, to know now how hopeless her work was.

As the party passed from sight, her mind turned to the old man beside her who was to be her husband in legal fiction. Donal's foster-father was a man of pride and ambition, she knew he had interest in her work beyond merely reviving Donal. If she succeeded, would he wish to be likewise suspended in time, until such a day that his age could be healed? Was there any real harm in that? He would not rule his domain in that time, which indeed might be many lifetimes, and he could be reunited with his daughter in another age perhaps. Yet it would not do to give him hope of rule beyond his years…

Lord Aldaran turned to her, mind shielded, face inscrutable, to take her hand, “Come my dear, there is much to prepare.”


End file.
